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My first cellphone was a
Motorola bag phone, and when I first
hoisted that puppy into my tractor back in
the ’90s, I was pretty sure it represented
the pinnacle of modern communication.
It weighed about five pounds, was the size
of a breadbox, and had enough wattage to
double as an arc welder.
We’ve come a long way baby. Over the
years, we’ve added a lot of functionality to
mobile devices that allow us to commu-
nicate in ways we couldn’t even imagine
possible 20 years ago. In fact, a smartphone
does so many things that it challenges us to
get the maximum benefit from all it can do.
You have to be aware of your smartphone’s
capabilities and develop what I call a “mo-
bile mindset.”
Say your combine breaks down and
it’s not something you can immediately
diagnose. Maybe it’s losing power or shut-
ting down randomly, which is affecting
performance. You have a smartphone, so
obviously you can call the combine techni-
cian at the dealership—but you can also do
much more.
Take a picture of the serial number of the
combine and anything else that would be
helpful for the mechanic to see. If the ma-
chine is making a strange noise, record it
on your phone. Email the picture and audio
files to the mechanic or parts department
before you call.
Better yet, have a real-time video conver-
sation using a smartphone app like Skype,
Google Hangouts or FaceTime (iPhones
only) so you can let the mechanic see and
hear the machine for a virtual assessment.
Just remember that both you and the
person you’re talking to must have the same
app on your phones for this to work.
You can use the same approach for
sharing what you see in the field with your
agronomist, or even to give your veterinar-
ian an indication of animal health issues.
If an in-person visit is unavoidable, create
a GPS location with the mapping software
on your phone and email it to the mechanic
to make it easy to find you.
Even social media can enter the picture.
If you’re on Twitter, post a message or a
photo from your smartphone: “Having a
problem with my Acme 5230 combine.
Losing power at random intervals. Anyone
else experience this? #acmecombine” You
may be surprised by the number of helpful
responses you get and how quickly they
come.
If you have employees or family members
who need to be informed of your situation,
consider an app such as Voxer that makes
Mobile to theMax
By Peter Gredig
Tech
WORK
Mobile technology beganwithcellphones that
let you, well, talk. We’reway past that now. Are
yougetting themostoutof your smartphone?
your smartphone function like a walkie-
talkie so you can communicate with the
entire team just as you would with a
two-way radio or mic phone.
Time can be the most precious of all
commodities for farmers, and the mobile
mindset is all about efficiency. If you can
use these communication tools to save a
lengthy drive (particularly if it’s only to find
out that the necessary part is not in stock),
then you’re winning.
Situations in which you need to use these
communication tools may not come up of-
ten, but it’s good to know what you can do
with a smartphone when the need arises.
Lastly, and most importantly, keep the
phone on your person when you leave the
cab. If you get in trouble, a cellphone could
save your life.
Peter Gredig is a corn, soybean and wheat
producer near St. Thomas, ON. He is also a
partner in AgNition Inc., a Guelph-based
mobile development company focused on
building agriculture apps and solutions.
Winter
2014
Grains
West
22